1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tire pressure monitoring technology and more particularly, to a TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) setting tool.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wireless communication technology is commonly used in commercial TPMSs (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) for system checking or protocol/identification programming. This programming operation can be done in two methods.
The first method is to pre-store different communication protocols in the memory of the TPMS, and then to send a command wirelessly through a setting tool to select one communication protocol for execution. This method has drawbacks: The limited memory space of the TPMS does not allow storage of a large amount of communication protocols, therefore the storage amount is limited and it is not allowed for expansion. Further, during the wireless operation, it cannot immediately judge whether or not the configuration of the TPMS corresponds to the set configuration. After programmed, it cannot make sure that the TPMS has been activated or not. Further, this wireless transmission method can cause all TPMSs within the wireless signal range to receive the transmitted signal and to have their system configuration be altered or erroneously set.
The second method is to pre-store a BIOS (Basic Input/Output System), and then to write the desired communication protocol into the TPMS by means of a setting tool in a wireless manner. This method has drawbacks below: Because it adopts wireless connection, the programming procedure must be rigorously examined, slowing down the speed of the whole operation. More particularly, it cannot immediately determine whether or not the configuration of the TPMS corresponds to the set configuration during the wireless operation, or make sure that the TPMS has been activated immediately after programming. Further, due to wireless transmission, surrounding TPMSs within the wireless signal range can receive the signal, causing the settings of surrounding TPMSs to be altered or erroneously set. Therefore, improvement in this regard is required.